The Pitcairn Islands, South Pacific Ocean: plate tectonic and climatic contexts

The remote Pitcairn Group in the South Pacific Ocean comprises a volcanic island (Pitcairn Island), two low coral atolls (Oeno, Ducie) and a raised coralline island (Henderson Island). The geological history of these islands, on anomalously thin oceanic lithosphere, is related to the development of two subparallel island chains (Oeno-Henderson-Ducie; Pitcairn) associated with intra-Pacific plate 'hotspot' activity; the surface manifestation of this activity has been partly determined by structural lineations in the plate inherited from past plate history. The climate of the Pitcairn Islands is determined by the position of the subtropical high pressure system and the South Pacific Convergence Zone. Variations in the strength of this atmospheric circulation system, measured by changes in the Southern Oscillation index of pressure difference, provide a partial explanation of the long-term variability of mean annual rainfall at Pitcairn Island. Knowledge of past climates in the Pitcairn Group remains speculative. Maps of the Pitcairn Islands and a report of climate at Henderson Island (2/91-1/92) are included in the paper.     

Sedimentology of the Late Quaternary Wadi Hasa Marl Formation of Central Jordan: a record of climate variability

The sedimentary features and fossils within the Wadi Hasa Marl Formation coupled with optical luminescence chronology indicate alternating wet and dry periods have occurred on the Jordanian plateau since the last interglacial. The Jurf Ed Darawish Member rests unconformably on the Maastrichtian Muwaqqar Chalk Marl Formation and is composed predominantly of poorly sorted, clast-supported conglomerate. Palaeocurrents and clast composition indicate provenance from Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and Tertiary basalts to the west and southwest of the study site and the facies suggest a flashy alluvial depositional environment probably similar to the modern wadis. The overlying Burma Member consists of bedded grey-green clayey silts and marls with calcrete profiles, up to 1.2 m thick, and isolated gravel lenses. The fine-grained sediments contain charophytes, ostracods, bivalves and various species of gastropod indicating normal freshwater lacustrine conditions. The calcretes contain a poorly preserved fauna suggesting lacustrine deposition followed by subaerial exposure and pedogenesis. Three optical luminescence ages have been obtained from the Burma Member which suggest that the member ranges in age from >111 ka through to <40 ka. The facies variations are indicative of climatic fluctuations in Jordan during this period and human artefacts are found embedded in the sediments. This preliminary study suggests that the Late Quaternary central Jordan sedimentary record may preserve valuable evidence of complex climatic variation which will supplement the data from the Jordan Valley where tectonic activity complicates the sedimentary record.     

Lignites of Kutch,western India: Dinoflagellate biostratigraphy and palaeoclimate

The Eocene epoch in the Indian subcontinent was marked by widespread deposition of lignite and coal. While several of these deposits formed during the Early Eocene, corresponding to Early Eocene hyperthermal events, the lignites of Kutch in western India formed later during the Middle Eocene. An integrated biostratigraphy based on dinoflagellates and foraminifera assigns a Bartonian age to the succession, which likely corresponds to the time of the Middle Eocene warming. The spores, pollen, dinoflagellates and foraminifera suggest a restricted marine, near shore depositional environment adjacent to tropical rainforest. The lignites of Kutch suggest high precipitation during or just preceding the warm climate of the Middle Eocene.     

山东平邑盆地古新世孢粉组合及其古气候意义

本文对山东平邑盆地卞桥镇国泰庄西ZK101井卞桥组二段的21块井壁岩芯样品进行分析,在其中5块样品中发现了大量保存较好的孢粉和一些淡水藻类化石,总计60属2亚属63种及部分未定种。据此建立了一个孢粉组合,即Pterisisporites-Ephedripites-Ulmaceae组合。该组合以凤尾蕨科和麻黄科花粉占优势,榆科有一定含量为其主要特征,并通过对一些重要分子的地质时代分布及与邻区相关孢粉组合进行对比,确定了其时代为古新世,同时讨论了该孢粉植物群所反映的古气候特点。     

Structure and diversity of the Mesozoic wood genus Xenoxylon in Far East Asia: implications for terrestrial palaeoclimates

Although the faunal elements of Far East Asian Mesozoic terrestrial biota have attracted much attention in recent years, their palaeoecology remains poorly known. In particular, features of the palaeoclimate are highly controversial. To address this point we used the Mesozoic fossil wood Xenoxylon , a genus recognized as an indicator of wet temperate biotopes and which is common in the area during the Carnian–Maastrichtian interval. We re-appraised bibliographic data and gathered new data for Xenoxylon in the Mesozoic of Far East Asia. This demonstrated that previous taxonomic approaches to the genus have been so far idiosyncratic. We examined the anatomical diversity of morphogenus Xenoxylon in Far East Asia and compared it to that of samples from Europe. This indicates that in an area centred on north-eastern China, Xenoxylon reached a level of anatomical diversity unmatched elsewhere in the world. We hypothesize that this diversity witnesses the persistence of palaeoecological conditions particularly suitable for Xenoxylon and that a wet temperate climate prevailed over most of the area throughout the Carnian–Maastrichtian interval. It is in this setting that the famous Jehol Biota probably evolved.     

南京牛头岗遗址植硅体分析及环境考古意义

牛头岗遗址是江苏南京较大的古文化遗址,遗址文化层中植硅体组合揭示在新石器晚期（约3500Cal．aBP前）,南京地区气候偏暖偏湿;商代（约3500—3000Cal．aBP）,气候温暖湿润;西周早期（约3000Cal．aBP后）,气候又偏暖偏湿。明显的气候波动与全新世中晚期全球气候变化可以对比。相邻何颖遗址的文化内涵和哺乳动物遗存,与牛头岗植硅体组合反映的植被与生态比较一致。新石器晚期至西周时期的气候与环境适宜古代先民的繁衍与生存,南京及滁河流域古文化内涵丰富。     

江南桤木(Alnus trabeculosa)的花粉形态与其生态因子

采用光学显微镜、扫描电镜和透射电镜对产自安徽省岳西县鹞落坪国家自然保护区的桦木科江南桤木的花粉形态进行了观察和研究。结果表明花粉粒圆球形至近球形,花粉大小为22.5—35.0μm,平均为31.5μm。赤道面观近扁球形,极面观为四角形或五角形。光学显微镜下,4-5孔,孔的结构特殊,内、外层到孔边分离,形成显著的孔室。在光切面看,外层在孔处加厚,孔间带状加厚。同时,在扫描电镜下,萌发孔沿赤道排列,为短萌发孔,萌发孔长轴3.2μm,短轴为1.5μm,其长轴约为短轴的2倍。外壁厚为2.0μm,外壁外层明显厚于内层。外壁纹饰在光学显微镜为不明显的颗粒排列为细条纹,扫描电镜下为微刺。在透射电镜下,花粉壁分为明显的四层,即:覆盖层、柱状层、基层和内层;覆盖层有刺状纹饰等。同时研究了江南桤木花粉的地理分布及其与生态因子的关系。根据江南桤木植物赖以生存的生态因子,得出江南桤木花粉分布区的主要生态因子,包括地理位置、海拔高度、年降水量、年积温及生境,为利用地层中桦木科化石花粉重建古气候、古环境及气候变迁提供了现代孢粉学资料和依据,也为该植物的现代地理分布提供了科学依据。